I received a link to this post about a survey of technology and teens. It refutes many common assumptions, and it absolutely fascinating.
Several surprises from the report:
"the report indicates that younger users have real difficulty choosing good search terms.
The report also revealed the weaknesses created by the desire for interactive devices. Students in fact really, really like activity and therefore like to cut-and-paste. The report notes, “There is a lot of anecdotal evidence and plagiarism is a serious issue.”
A major surprise of the study for educators was to render one oft-heard complaint about young people fallacious. The growing belief is that technology has ultimately made students more impatient and added to their need for instant gratification. The report indicates there is no hard evidence that young people are any more impatient than are adults.”
Go, read the rest. It may change your mind about technology, and its use in classrooms.